Improvement in gas-lighters



2 Sheets-Sheet 2. E. LINDSLEY.

GAS-LIGHTERS. No 188 807 Patented March 27,1877. 1 I g 0 N. PETERS,PHDTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WISHXNGTON, D C.

PATENT EDWARD LINDSLEY,

OF OLEVE LAND, OHIO.

jlMPROVEMENT IN GAS-LIGHTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 188,507, dated March27, 1877 application filed March 6, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD LINDSLEY, of Cleveland, in the county of(Juyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Gas-Lighters, of "which the following is a description, referencebeing had the accompanying drawings, making a part of thisspecification, in whicha Figure 1 is a side view of the device. Fig. 2isalso a side view with portions of the casing shown as broken away, thatthe inside may be seen. Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1. Fig.

4 is a plan view of the inside. Fig. 5 will be referred to. Figs. 6 and7 are perspective views, partially in section.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several views.

The invention above alluded to is an automatic apparatus for thepurpose, especially, of lighting street gas -lamps; but which, however,may be used for lighting the gas in dwellings, public halls, and otherplaces wherein gaslight is used.

The apparatus consists of a gas chamber or holder, provided with cellscharged with mercury or with other suitable material, into which theends of gas-pipes are immersed by the vertical movement of a cap forclosing or sealing the ends of the pipes, thereby shutting 011' the gasfrom burners which said pipes supply. The vertical movement of the capreferred to is caused by an increment of the pressure ofthe gas, andwhich vertical movement, at the same time, is attended by a partialrotatory one effected by the joint operation of a finger and cam,substantially as hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings,A represents an outer shell or tank, within which is agas-chamber, B. Between said'air-chamber and the tank is an annularspace or water-chamber, 0, Fig. 4. In said water-chamber is looselyarranged a cap, D, Figs. 2 and 6, fitting down over and inclosing thegas-chamber B. On the bottom of said gas-chamber are three cells, E, F,and G, Fig. 4. In the cells G and F the lower ends of the pipes H and 1,respectively, are held at such time when the main burner P is notlighted, whereas the end of pipe K descends ings,

into the space or depression L, said space being a part of thegas-chamber.

Projecting upward in the center of said gaschamber is a standard, M,Figs. 2 and 7, into which a guide-rod, N, descends for guiding andsteadying the vertical movements of the cap D, to which the rod isattached.

To the top of the cap. is secured a cylinder, 0, in which terminate theupper ends of the pipes HK. Said pipes pa'ss vertically through the topof the cap on the outside of the cylinder O, which are then turned andpassed through said cylinder, as shown in the drawin which it will beseen that the pipe K terminates directly inside of the cylinder. whereasthe pipe His continued upward there-- in, as indicated by the dottedlines a in Fig. 1. The pipe I is continued upward on the outside of thecylinder, and terminated above it by a gas-tip, P, of a burner, P.

The cylinder 0 referred to is divided into two compartments, Q and R, bya partition, b, for the protection of the small jet or burner f. In theside of said cylinder 0 is an irregular cam, 5, Fig. 2, in the track ofwhich projects a finger, 0', Figs. 6 and 7, projecting from the end ofan arm, A, rigidly secured to the side of the tank A, as shown in saidfigures. The apparatus, as shown in the drawings, is an exaggeration inrespect to size as compared with one for practical use,

which will be about one-half or one-third less than that shown, with theexception of the pipes, which are about the proper size.

The practical operation of the invention above described is as follows:The apparatus is placed in the center of the lantern or framework of thelamp, and connected to the gaspipe by the pipe B, the burner I? beingthat for the lamp.

The condition of the apparatus, as shown in Fig. l, is such as when notlighted-that is to say, the burner P is not lighted, (viz., during theday,) at which time the end of the pipe I is in the cell G, and the endof the pipe H is in the cell F, whereas the end of pipe K is in thespace L of the gas-chamber. 1n the several cells specified is placedmercury, or other suitable agent, so much that the ends of the pipeswillbe immersed therein when in the cells, and thereby be closed or sealedagainst the flow of gas into them. The annular chamber 0 is to bepartially filled with water, or with other suitable material, so thatthe lower part of the cap I) will be immersed therein to prevent theescape of gas from the gas-chamber, which is tilled with gas from thesupply-pipe, to which the apparatus is attached by the pipe ll, the gaspassing into the gas holder or chamber through openings in the side ofthe standard M, as seen at d, Fig. 2.

It will be obvious that so long as the ends of the pipes ll and l areimmersed in the mercury gas cannot pass up into them from the chamber B,either to the burner e or to the burner P. uhereas gas can pass into thepipe K, for the reason that its lower end is in the depression or spaceL of the gas-chamber. The gas in said pipe K is lighted at the tip avery small burner; hence, is produced a small flame, which is allowed toburn during the day, or so long as the larger burner P is not lighted.

In order to light said burner P, which is, in fact, that of thestreet-lamp, or other gas lamp or light, the pressure of the gas isincreased by means of the regulating supply cock or governor regulatingthe pressure used in the gas-works, which for a few minutes is opened.This increment of gas pressure through the mains and pipes will elevatethe cap I) so far as to hit the ends of the pipes H and I out oi themercury, and above the surface E of the cells, as seen in Fig. 7,thereby unclosing them to the induction of sag from the gas-chamber.

When the cap is lifted to this position it is then turned partiallyaround in direction of the arrow by means of the cam S and finger creferred to. Thus, as the cap continues to rise, by a continuation ofthe gas-pressure, the finger impinges upon the edge a, Fig. 2, of thecam, which turns it partially around. This rotatory movement of the capcarries the end of the pipe] lrom over its respective cell,

-out of which it had just been raised to the space or depression L ofthe gas-chamber. The pipe I, now tilled with gas to the tip P, and alsothe pipe H to the tip 0, can now be lighted, and also at the perforationm at the bend of said pipe H, Fig. 3.

It will be obvious that the jet ot gas issuing from the perforation m,by its nearness to the flame of the burner fwill be ignited and producean upward flame, which will, in turn, ignite the gas at the point orburner e. The flame thus produced at 6 will, by its nearness to the tipof the burner P, ignite the gas issuing therefrom, thereby lighting thelamp.

This lighting of the burner 1 takes place during the time that the capis rising from the point b of the cam (its first position) to the edgea, on which the linger impinges, and by the contact of the finger withsaid edge a of the cam the cap is pushed around, bringing the pipe I toabout the point L in the depression or recess L, Fig. 4, of the gaschamber outside of the cell G, in which it was previously held. At thesame time the pipe H is turned from its first place. viz., at e in thecell F, to n, and the pipe K, which was in the space L, at r, is now bythe same movement carried over to the cell E.

At this particular moment in the process of lighting the lamp the burnerP and the gas-jets at e and fare all burning. The flames at e andf,however, are to be extinguished. To effect this the extra pressure ofthe gas used for elevating the cap is taken off. In conse- @QIICB ofthis reduction in the pressure of gas the cap sinks. This sinking of thecap plunges the ends of the pipes H and K, respectively, in themercurial cells E and F, and by their immersion in the mercury the gasis shut ofi' from them, and the flames at e and consequentlyextinguished, leaving the flame at P burning.

In view of the above it will be seen that the general operation of theapparatus is as follows: During the day the condition of the apparatusis such as shown in the drawing, in which it will be seen that the pipeI is in the mercurial cell G and the pipe H in the cell F about at 6,while the pipe K is in the space or recess of the gas-chamber, receivingthereform a supply of gas to maintain the flame at f, Which, asaforesaid, is kept burning through the day or during the time that theburner P is not used or lighted.

'Io light the burner P by the small flame at f, an additional pressureof gas in the mains and pipes raises the cap D, lifting thereby thepipes H and I out of their respective cells F and G. When thus liftedthe cap is then turned partially around by the cooperation of the fingerand can], which brings the pipe I to about the point L in the recess Lof the gas-chamber, and the pipe H from e to n in the cell F, and thepipe K at the same time is moved from r to and above the cell E. Thepipes at this instant are all filled with gas. The flame flights the jetfrom the perforation m, and the flame m lights the jet at e, and theflame e, in turn, lights the main burner P, for illumination.

At this moment all the jets or burners are lighted; but the flames e, f,and m are to be extinguished, leaving the burner P burning. This is doneby taking ofl' the extra pressure of gas, causing the cap D to sink andthe pipes K and H to be immersed in the mercury of their respectivecells, closing them against a further induction of gas, and therebyextinguish the lights 0, f, and m, leaving the burner P in full blaze.

To extinguish the light at. P, the extra pressure of gas is again put onby the means above referred to. Now, as the cap raises, and is so farraised as to lift the ends of the pipes H and K out of their respectivecells, and bring the finger 0 to the point 0 of the cam, then a motionreverse to that indicated by the arrow is given to the cap. Said reverse'motion is caused by the finger impinging upon the edge 0 of the cam. Afurther rise of the cap now takes place, and brings the lowest angle ofthe cam to the finger 0.

At this time the excessive pressure of gas is removed, and as the capsinks down the finger impinges upon the edge 5 of the cam, therebycontinuing the reverse rotatory movement of the cap, causing the pipe Iand pipe K to descend into their respective cells, and become closed orsealed by the mercury the cells contain, and their light extinguished,leaving the small, faint flame f burning, to be again used for lightingthe main burner P, in the manner as hereinbefore described.

The small burner f is relighted, after being extinguished in the manneras above described, by the burner P. Thus, at the time the cap israised, and thereby the pipes H and K lifted from their cells, they arethen all in' open relation to the gas-chamber, from which they are atonce filled with gas.

The jet 0 is at once lighted by the burner P.

The jet 0 in turn lights the jet at m, and the jet at m in like mannerlights the burner f. At this moment all the jets or burners are againlighted and burning at the same time. The light at P and that at e and mare to be put out. This takes place by the reverse rotatory movement ofthe cap, which brings the pipe I and the pipe H over their respectivecells, and the pipe K to the space L of the gas-chamber. Now, as the caplowers, by the removal of the extra gas-pressure the pipes 11 and I dropinto the mercury, and thereby are closed or sealed, and their respectivelights extinguished, whereas the pipe K descends into the space L of thechamber, and coutiir ues open, and its light, as a consequence,continues to burn.

In the event the gas-burners used in dwellings, halls, manufactories,&c., are to be lighted by this apparatus, the extra pressure of gasrequired to operate the cap is supplied by a device shown in Fig. 5, ora modification of the same.

Said device consists of a tank, 0, inclosing a gas-chamber, betweenwhich and the tank is an annular water space or chamber, in which isfitted a cap, D, covering the gas chamber or holder. The device is, infact, a small gas-holder, and is to be placed between the gas burner andmeter, and connected to the gas-pipe by a pipe, at", and H.

To increase the pressure of gas for operating the lighting apparatus,the cap D is forced down into the tank by the lever I. The gas by thismeans is compressed, thereby operating the lighting apparatus, in themanner as hereinbefore said. To prevent the increment ofgas-pressure'thus obtained from reacting upon the meter, a stop-cock, J,is used to shut off the gas from the meter during the time of lightingthe burner or burners. Other device or devices can be employed forproducing the gas-pressure alluded to."

It will be obvious that by this apparatus all the street-lamps in a citycan be automatically lighted at once, or the same be extinguishedwithout the aid of personal lamp-lighters.

What 1 claim as my invention, and desire V to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In combination with the annular chamber 0, gas holder or chamber B,the cells E, F, and G, in the manner substantially as described, and forthe purpose set forth.

2. The pipes H, I, and K, arranged in relation to, and in combinationwith, the gas-holder B, cells E, F, and G, and cap D, substantially asdescribed, and for the purpose set forth.

3. The cam S and finger c, in combination with the cap D, in the mannersubstantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

4. The pipe I, and one or more pipes for igniting the burner of saidpipe I, in combination with their respective cells in the gas-chamber B,in the manner substantially as described.

5. In gas-lighting apparatus, the gas-chamher, having a movable cap, andoperated by means of the pressure of gas induced by a compressor orgovernor regulating the gas pressure, by which means the pipes connectedto said cap are lowered into, and raised out of, cells charged with amedium for sealing the pipes for the purpose of igniting andextinguishing the gas-light automatically.

6. The cam S,fingerc, movable cap D, in combination with the pipes H, I,and K, cells E, F, and G, gas chamber or holder B, and annular chamber0, substantially in the manner as described, and for the purpose setforth.

EDWARD LIN DSLEY.

